Summer 2 - Overland and Underwater!

This half term, in Reception our topic will be, ‘Overland, Underwater’. During our topic, we will be looking at and comparing countries and the different ways to travel to different places using maps and atlases. We will be learning to understand and describe how things such as environments around us change over time. We will look at places that are special to us including places of worship. In Art, we will be exploring Aboriginal art and painting landscape pictures. In DT we will be learning about structures and exploring waterproof materials in order to design and make our own boats. 

Literacy 

In Literacy, we will be participating in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering our own ideas, using new vocabulary and offering explanations for why things might happen.  Our key text during our Talk for Writing sessions will be ‘I Wanna Iguana’.  We will look at how the character tries to persuade his mum to have a pet. We will explore the features of a letter and then get to write our own versions using the features we have learnt. The children will be working hard on letter formation and writing simple sentences with full stops and capital letters.

Maths

In Maths, we will be looking at doubling, sharing and grouping. This will include exploring doubles using real objects and pictorial representations of matching groups. The children will be learning how to share objects into equal groups. Near the end of the term we will move on to look at problem solving and deepening their understanding of patterns and relationships. The children will also be consolidating and practising their understanding of comparing and ordering quantities. 

Here is the key knowledge that the children will be learning this half term in the provision and class sessions:

Art 

• Aboriginal people were the first people to live in Australia. Many still live there today. 

• Aborigonal art is based on dreamtime stories

• Landscapes are pictures of places. 

• Art can show feelings and make people feel different things.

DT

• To know that ‘waterproof’ materials are those which do not absorb water.

• To know that some objects float and others sink. 

• To know the different parts of a boat 

Science

Habitats

• Deserts are hot, dry and sandy, and not many plants grow there. 

• Jungles/ rainforests are hot and have lots of rain. Lots of tropical plants and animals live there.

• Ocean/ seas are underwater, have coral, fish and different sea animals.

• Woodlands have trees and bushes. Squirrels, hedgehogs, foxes and owls might live there. 

• Polar/ tundra is very cold and snowy with lots of ice. Polar bears, seals and penguins live there.  

• Some houses are made from wood/ sticks or bricks.

• So people live in bungalows, flats or houses.

• Some places have more people living there than where we do. 

• Some people live in hot or cold countries

• Some places have lots of mountains

• Some places have deserts, jungles or snow.

History

• Comment on images of familiar situations in the past.

• We can find out about the past by listening to stories and looking at pictures.

• Things may have differed in the past to how we do or see them now.

• Transport has changed over time. 

Geography

• Places can be compared by weather, how they get to school, what they eat, where they live etc. 

• I can see/hear/feel.. (Talk about buildings, plants, wildlife and weather) 

• An atlas shows you different countries in the world.

Computing

• Objects can be controlled.

• Know directional words: forwards; backwards; left; right

PSHE

• To know that having a naturally colourful diet is one way to try and eat healthily.

• To know that exercise means moving our body and is important.

• To know that yoga can help our bodies and minds relax.

• To know how to behave safely on the pavement and when crossing roads with an adult.

RE

• A church is a building of worship.  

• A mosque is a building of worship. 

• A Synagogue is a building of worship

• Know there are special buildings people worship in. 

• Know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions

Some statements will be repeated later in the year to consolidate and embed their learning, using the knowledge in different contexts. 

Talk for Writing